Fee-for-service Research Articles

Logistics service sharing in cross-border e-commerce

While the demand for cross-border e-commerce has grown rapidly, challenges have emerged for both retailers and consumers participating in this global market. Retailers have been struggling with high logistics costs to fulfill cross-border demand, while the lack of trust in foreign retailers is a major issue for consumers. In this paper, we study a cross-border collaboration scheme between a domestic and a foreign retailer to mitigate these challenges. This entails a co-opetition framework where the domestic retailer performs the last-mile delivery of the foreign retailer’s orders in exchange for a logistics service fee. We model demand via a Multinomial Logit (MNL) choice model where the consumers are trust- and price-sensitive. We compare the market outcomes of the two retailers in “pre-collaboration” and “post-collaboration” settings. We find that there exist win-win outcomes where both retailers benefit from collaboration under realistic settings. We also show that a cooperative mechanism can lead to higher profits for both retailers compared to the non-cooperative mechanism for setting the logistics service fee, if the contract terms are decided carefully.

Distance Health Services Organization in University Hospitals: The Case of a Public University Hospital

In today's globalized healthcare market, it has become a necessity for healthcare organizations to strive to provide the healthcare services needed by their target audience with modern medical technology and software, regardless of physical space, country and/or geography. In fact, although distance health services and tele-medicine applications are not new applications, they have been increasingly used by healthcare organizations due to the physical transmission feature of the New Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) or corona pandemic. The aim of this study is to analyze the legal dimension of Distance Health Services (DHS) in a public university hospital, the path to be followed to obtain a “Distance Health Service Activity Permit Certificate”, the characteristics, quantity and qualifications of the human resources to provide health services, the physical structure of the areas to be served and the information technologies, information systems to be used, the ministry audit criteria related to the pricing, invoicing and refund methods of health service fees, and to contribute to the structuring stages of distance health services of similar health institutions.

A Relationship between Physical Infrastructure and Patient Satisfaction: A Case Study of Kantipur Dental Hospital

This study investigates the impact of physical infrastructure on patient satisfaction at Kantipur Dental Hospital, a prominent dental care facility in Nepal. With the increasing demand for high-quality healthcare services, understanding the factors influencing patient satisfaction is crucial for healthcare providers. The research aims to explore how various aspects of the hospital’s infrastructure—specifically, the use of state-of-the-art equipment, cleanliness and hygiene, sterilization practices, and convenient location—affect patients' perceptions of care quality. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire distributed to 117 patients who had received treatment at Kantipur Dental Hospital within the last six months. The questionnaire measured patients' perceptions of the clinic's infrastructure and their overall satisfaction, with a focus on two key dimensions: confidence after treatment and the acceptability of service fees. Data analysis was conducted using Spearman’s rho correlation to assess the relationships between the perceived infrastructure variables and patient satisfaction outcomes. The findings reveal significant positive correlations between perceptions of the hospital's physical infrastructure and patient satisfaction. Specifically, the use of modern equipment and a clean, hygienic environment were strongly associated with increased patient confidence post-treatment. Furthermore, the accessibility of the hospital location was also found to influence perceptions of service fee acceptability. Notably, while sterilization practices contributed positively to patient confidence, they did not significantly impact fee perceptions, suggesting that patients prioritize cleanliness and modernity in their overall evaluation of care. These results underscore the critical role of physical infrastructure in enhancing patient satisfaction at Kantipur Dental Hospital. The study recommends that healthcare facilities continue to invest in modern technology and maintain high standards of cleanliness to foster patient confidence and satisfaction. This research provides valuable insights for clinic management and policy-makers, emphasizing that improving physical infrastructure is essential for delivering quality healthcare services and ensuring positive patient experiences.

Revenue Trend Analysis of Bharatpur Metropolitan City (BMC), Nepal

The present study aims to explore a comprehensive analysis of the revenue trends with special focus on the case of Bharatpur Metropolitan City. The study adopts a quantitative research design, employing document analysis, and an observation checklist. This study presents findings over the last 13 years 2067 to 2079, focusing on three key headings: Tax related to Land and Property, Service fee and Tariff and Dividend tax. Tax related to Land and Property encompasses taxes such as property tax, Malpot tax, business tax, house rent tax and homeland registration tax it exhibited the most substantial growth. Service fee and tariff represent the total sum of service fees and tariff, including fees for Building permits, event registration, and fines, relationship certification, education fees, electricity fees and parking fees. This variable showed initial growth but also experienced fluctuations. Dividend tax includes vehicle tax, entertainment tax, and advertising tax, showing modest yet steady growth, despite having the smallest contribution, it displayed consistent growth. The study underscores the diverse contributions of these revenue sources, emphasizing the need for strategic planning to stabilize and enhance the financial health of BMC by optimizing each revenue stream’s potential.

Endophthalmitis Rates following Secondary Intraocular Lens Surgeries: An 11-year Medicare Fee-For-Service Analysis.

To assess postoperative endophthalmitis (POE) rates and risk factors after secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation for preoperative aphakia and IOL exchange combined with or without vitrectomy. Medicare fee for service (FFS) beneficiaries, United States. Retrospective study. Medicare FFS beneficiaries who underwent IOL exchange or secondary IOL implantation for preoperative aphakia between January 1, 2011 - November 19, 2022 were identified. POE rates were calculated overall and separately for each surgical category - secondary IOL for aphakia versus IOL exchange, with subsets for concurrent anterior or posterior vitrectomy. Multi-variate analysis of potential risk factors was implemented. 97,152 patients were included. The 42-day POE rates for secondary IOL implantation for aphakia and for IOL exchange were 0.35% and 0.28% overall, 0.31% and 0.30% when combined with posterior vitrectomy, and 0.84% and 0.42% with anterior vitrectomy. The risk of POE increased when secondary IOL surgery was combined with anterior vitrectomy compared to no vitrectomy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.849; p<0.001) and with higher Charlson comorbidity indexes compared to 0: 1-2 (aOR 1.495; p=0.01), 3-4 (aOR 1.591; p=0.01), 5-6 (aOR 1.617; p=0.046), ≥7 (aOR 3.290; p<0.001). Risk was decreased for IOL exchange compared to secondary IOL implantation for preoperative aphakia (aOR 0.783; p=0.04). The overall POE rate for all secondary IOL surgeries was 0.31% during the 11-year period. We hypothesize that absence of the posterior capsular barrier would explain the higher POE rates compared with cataract surgery, especially if a concurrent vitrectomy was performed with the secondary IOL procedure.

Navigating the online food environment: policy pathways for promoting food access, transparency, and healthy food choices online.

The internet is drastically changing how U.S. consumers shop for groceries, order food from restaurants, and interact with food marketing. There is an urgent need for new policies to help ensure that the internet is a force for good when it comes to food access, transparency, and nutrition. This article outlines actions that federal agencies-like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Federal Trade Commission (FTC)-and state and local governments can take to improve the online food environment. We recommend policies in three settings: online grocery retail, online restaurant ordering, and marketing on social media and other online platforms. For example, USDA could finalize regulations increasing access to online WIC and remove barriers to accessing online SNAP by requiring large retailers to waive online delivery and service fees for SNAP purchases. FDA could improve access to nutrition information by issuing guidance describing what product information should be available at the online point of selection. FTC could give better guidance on appropriate tactics when marketing to children and collect better data on how companies are marketing food to children online. Finally, state governments could pass laws like New York's recently introduced Predatory Marketing Prevention Act to address false and misleading advertising of unhealthy foods aimed at children and other vulnerable groups.

Adoption of mobile banking to promote financial inclusion among rural farming community: Drivers and satisfaction level perspective

This study investigates the factors driving mobile banking adoption and user satisfaction to enhance financial inclusion among rural farming communities, using survey data from 400 farmers. An unpaired t-test reveals a significant difference in receiving international remittance, fund transfers, mobile recharge, and allowance during and before COVID-19, but no significant difference in cash-in, cash-out, and utility bill payments. During the pandemic, most mobile banking transactions increased in volume and frequency. The result also reveals that the majority of rural people (approximately 88 %) enjoy mobile banking services. The Index value of farmers' satisfaction level towards mobile banking transactions indicates that respondents were satisfied with various mobile banking transactions but were dissatisfied with the higher service fees. Logit estimation shows that age, education, income, farm size, and distance from the bank branch were the primary factors driving the adoption of mobile banking among rural farming communities. However, expansion of agent service, reduction of service charges, and protection from fraudulent transactions are essential for expanding the adoption of mobile banking services in rural areas and accelerating their financial inclusion.

Association between mammographic screening history and stage at diagnosis among women with screen-detected breast cancer.

145 Background: Although screening mammography is an effective means of detecting breast cancer at earlier stages, some women are still diagnosed with later stage disease despite screening mammography. We hypothesized that screening history prior to diagnosis may impact stage at diagnosis and breast cancer mortality among women with screen-detected breast cancer. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of women aged 70+ in the SEER-Medicare database, diagnosed with ER+/HER2- breast cancer from 2010-2017, and enrolled in fee-for service Medicare Parts A and B from 5-years prior to diagnosis through 1 year after. We used validated claims-based algorithms to identify cancers that were detected by screening mammogram. We quantified 5-year screening history by number of prior screens. Stage at diagnosis was dichotomized into very early (T1N0) vs. later stage (T2+ or N+) disease. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between screening history and stage at diagnosis and Cox proportional hazards used to examine breast cancer mortality. Models were adjusted for demographic and clinical covariates associated with later stage disease in bivariate analyses. Results: We included 13,029 women with screen-detected breast cancer; 3,813 (29.27%) women had later stage disease at diagnosis, and 10,095 (77.48%) had at least one prior negative screening mammogram within the past five years. During this time, 2,359 (18.11%) women had only one prior mammogram, 3,132 (24.03%) had two, and 4,604 (35.34%) had three or four. Having at least one prior mammogram was associated with 56% lower odds of being diagnosed with later stage disease (OR: 0.44, 95% CI=0.40-0.48). Sociodemographic factors associated with increased odds of later stage disease included living in an area with greater poverty (20-100% vs. 0-5% of residents, OR: 1.19, 1.00-1.40), non-Hispanic Black race (OR: 1.18, 1.00-1.38), and Medicare/Medicaid dual eligibility (OR: 1.20, 1.06-1.36). Factors associated with later stage disease included living in an area with a more people with a high-school education (30-40% vs. 0-30% of residents, OR: 0.87, 0.77-0.97). At total of 696 deaths from breast cancer were observed, including 273 deaths among 2,935 women with no prior screening (9.3%) and 423 deaths among 10,097 women who had undergone screening within the past five years (4.2%, P &lt; 0.001). Receiving at least one negative screening prior to diagnosis was associated with decreased breast cancer-specific Mortality in adjusted analysis (HR: 0.48, 0.40-0.57). Conclusions: The use of prior routine screening mammography was associated with lower risk of being diagnosed with later stage disease and dying from breast cancer in elderly women with screen-detected breast cancer. Future research is warranted regarding the impact of routine vs. sporadic screening on potential morbidity and mortality in this age group.

Primary care telehealth utilization by access-challenged populations in Medicare Advantage.

Although telehealth utilization in primary care has decreased markedly since 2020, it remains higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic. There is debate about its role in a post-pandemic healthcare system, particularly for certain groups of patients that may experience greater access challenges related to in-person care. To inform this debate, we examined the use of audiovisual telehealth for primary care as a share of total primary care outpatient visits among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with and without 3 characteristics associated with potential access challenges (low-income status, disability, and frailty). Primary care visits when the beneficiary was frail were 39.4% (OR: 1.39 [95% CI, 1.37-1.42]) more likely to be telehealth; when the beneficiary was disabled or low-income status, visits were 20.1% (OR: 1.20 [95% CI, 1.18-1.22]) and 8.3% (OR: 1.08 [95% CI, 1.05-1.12]) more likely to be telehealth, respectively. The differential use of telehealth among beneficiaries with low-income status or disability, compared with those without, was significantly larger among providers with a 2-sided risk contract compared with fee for service (low-income status: OR: 1.19 [95% CI, 1.04-1.35]; disability: OR: 1.07 [95% CI, 1.01-1.13]).

Considering Differentiated Pricing Mechanisms for Multiple Power Levels

With the development of supercharging technology, charging stations will face supercharging piles and fast-charging piles coexisting for a long time. The traditional unified service fee pricing model will face the problem of slow-charging vehicles occupying supercharging piles, and the advantages of supercharging facilities cannot be fully utilized. Considering factors such as station revenue, station utilization rate, and user willingness, this paper constructs a differentiated pricing model for multi-power-level charging facilities based on capacity and electricity service fees. It reveals the impact of this pricing model on the economy and user satisfaction of charging stations. In addition, a multi-objective optimization model is constructed and solved by a multi-objective particle swarm method to determine the pricing strategy of different power levels that adapt to the actual situation. The results show that the differentiated pricing mechanism can increase the station revenue by about 10.74% and the station stack power utilization rate by about 7.14%, and user satisfaction is higher, which is better than the conventional pricing mechanism. Therefore, the proposed charging pricing strategy can provide a decision-making reference for charging station operation and planning.

Wearable Fall Detectors Based on Low Power Transmission Systems: A Systematic Review

Early attention to individuals who suffer falls is a critical aspect when determining the consequences of such accidents, which are among the leading causes of mortality and disability in older adults. For this reason and considering the high number of older adults living alone, the development of automatic fall alerting systems has garnered significant research attention over the past decade. A key element for deploying a fall detection system (FDS) based on wearables is the wireless transmission method employed to transmit the medical alarms. In this regard, the vast majority of prototypes in the related literature utilize short-range technologies, such as Bluetooth, which must be complemented by the existence of a gateway device (e.g., a smartphone). In other studies, standards like Wi-Fi or 3G communications are proposed, which offer greater range but come with high power consumption, which can be unsuitable for most wearables, and higher service fees. In addition, they require reliable radio coverage, which is not always guaranteed in all application scenarios. An interesting alternative to these standards is Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies, which minimize both energy consumption and hardware costs while maximizing transmission range. This article provides a comprehensive search and review of that works in the literature that have implemented and evaluated wearable FDSs utilizing LPWAN interfaces to transmit alarms. The review systematically examines these proposals, considering various operational aspects and identifying key areas that have not yet been adequately addressed for the viable implementation of such detectors.

Direct Variable Cost Comparison of Monitored Anesthesia Care Versus Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tournique Carpal Tunnel Release: A Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing Analysis

Time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) provides a more accurate and granular estimation of direct variable costs compared with traditional accounting methods. This study used TDABC to quantitatively compare the same-day facility costs of open carpal tunnel release (CTR) performed under monitored anesthesia care (MAC) versus wide awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT). We retrospectively identified 474 unilateral CTR (182 MAC and 292 WALANT) performed at an orthopedic specialty hospital between 2015 and 2021. Itemized facility costs were calculated using a TDABC algorithm. Patient demographics, surgical characteristics, and itemized costs were compared between those treated under MAC (MAC-CTR) and WALANT (WALANT-CTR). Multivariable regression was performed to determine the independent effect of MAC on true facility costs. Total facility costs were $170 higher in MAC-CTR compared with WALANT-CTR ($652 vs $482). Monitored anesthesia care-CTR cases had higher personnel costs ($537 vs $394), likely because of higher surgery personnel ($303 vs $185) and postanesthesia care unit personnel costs ($117 vs $95). Monitored anesthesia care-CTR cases also had higher supply costs ($119 vs $81). When controlling for demographics and comorbidities, MAC-CTR was independently associated with an increase in personnel costs by $150.65 (95% CI, $131.09-$170.21), supply costs by $24.99 (95% CI, $9.40-$40.58), and total facility costs by $175.66 (95% CI, $150.18-$201.09) per case. Using TDABC, MAC-CTR was found to be 35% more costly to the facility compared with WALANT-CTR. Notably, WALANT-CTR facility costs presented here do not include additional cost savings from anesthesiologist service fees or preoperative laboratory clearance required for MAC-CTR surgeries. To reduce costs related to CTR surgery, greater efforts should be made to reduce the number of intraoperative personnel and maximize the use of WALANT-CTR in an outpatient setting. Economic and Decision Analysis II.

Innovating the recycling of silicon-based solar panels with an eco-friendly alkaline leaching process

As the accumulation of waste from solar panels and solar scraps rapidly increases, recycling these materials has become increasingly critical. Unfortunately, the complexity of disassembling solar panels often renders the recycling process unprofitable due to the low value of the recovered products, resulting in high service fees. Although numerous studies have sought to simplify the disassembly process and enhance the purity of the recovered products, these solutions often involve costly, toxic, and complex methods. In response, we introduce an innovative green recycling technique using a straightforward alkaline leaching process. This method allows for efficient recycling and refining of solar cells, yielding high-purity SiO2 (99.994 %) at a recycling rate of 92.74 % and generating green hydrogen. A preliminary cost analysis indicates that this process holds substantial commercial potential and high profitability. The proposed technique offers a new pathway towards making renewable energy sources more sustainable and economically feasible.

잠재계층로짓모형을 활용한 배달 앱 시장세분화

As the usage of domestic delivery apps skyrockets, the market sees a rapid expansion. Over the past five years, the transaction volume has amplified more than ninefold, predominantly propelled by private delivery apps. However, the rising service fees of these apps have sparked dissatisfaction among consumers and small business owners, drawing attention to the emergence of public delivery apps. These apps could potentially achieve numerous social objectives, such as broadening consumer choices and invigorating local markets. In this study, we aimed to understand consumers' preferences for delivery apps and explore ways to improve public delivery apps and revitalize local economies through them. To achieve this, we analyzed consumer preferences for market segmentation of delivery apps using latent class logt model. This study proposes marketing strategies to increase the usage of public delivery apps and revitalize local economies.

Demand study of freight transportation via railway of four commodity groups: A case study on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast Route

Having railway mobility as an option among transportation modes is of prime importance for the freight logistics of a country and the overall performance of its commerce sector. This work presents a case study in Costa Rica, where freight transportation via railway was formerly available during the last century but has not been in full service since 1995. Specifically, this paper assesses the link connecting the capital city of San Jose to the port of Caldera on the Pacific Ocean coast, henceforth referred to as the “Pacific Coast Route”. Although government institutions and industries alike have stressed the importance of its reactivation in recent years, few efforts have been made to specifically study this route with a level of detail that enables them to understand the composition of freight markets.This study presents a novel demand estimation differentiated by four types of commodities developed to calculate the potential amount of goods that could flow through this corridor, measured in monetary terms and as volumes. Trends in the expected share were analyzed to identify variables that may improve the attractiveness of the railway service and the participation of clients along the route from the country's main economic activities which includes the following: agriculture & livestock, manufacturing, minerals, and forestry.The four-step transportation model was chosen for its suitability towards this case study; where available data sets were limited, the information was aggregated into yearly values, and the network was defined with few transportation zones. Activity-based models were not feasible in this case due to the lack of information on complete routes and volume flows. The model evaluated a first scenario given the present design of the route and a second scenario involving improvements in the alignment and the addition of a new segment.Regarding the opportunities of moving goods according to their type, in terms of volume, minerals (48 %) and agricultural (31 %) have the largest shares of participation in this region, followed by manufacturing (20 %) and forestry products (1 %). However, the manufacturing sector stands out in financial terms, accounting for 71 % of the total value of goods mobilized in the study area.It was found that the demand is most sensible for changes in the service fare, while the benefits of shorter travel times and a larger attraction area in scenario 2 were not significant. A service fee of $USD 2.35/ton in average is recommended to reach a 30 % modal shift towards the railway (following the European Commission's goals to reduce CO2 emissions from freight transportation in 2030).Finally, recommendations for public policies are provided to the entities in the country in the sectors of Agriculture, Health, Energy and Environment, Transportation, and Public Services. The suggestions aim to develop the new railway project with a holistic perspective, considering the inclusion of less profitable economic activities of the surrounding communities that require connectivity, compliance with environmental commitments, and design for resilience while aiming for a financially feasible business model.

The Innovation of Digital Payment System with QRIS in National Open API and Maqasid al-Sharia Standards

QRIS is a digital payment system innovation standardized as a national QR code in Indonesia. This paper analyzes the National Open API and Maqasid al-Sharia standards within the QRIS digital payment system. Employing a qualitative descriptive methodology, the study determined that Bank Indonesia formulated three National Open API standards: governance guidelines, data standards with technical specifications, and technical and safety standards. Aligned with Maqasid al-Sharia, the analysis reveals a significant correlation between QRIS and its core tenets, specifically Hifz ad-Din (safeguarding religion) and Hifz al-Mal (preserving wealth). Moreover, viewing maqasid as a methodological framework, QRIS is deemed a legal and halal system conforming to maqasid. This topic can be examined from five dimensions: the payment system's alignment with Sharia law, its widespread use among traders (urf tujjar), the contractual adherence (ijab qabul) to Islamic sharia and user benefits, the reflection of service value in QRIS service fees, and mutual advantages for both parties. Regarding maslahah, QRIS falls under dzanni maslahah, necessitating its implementation to be entrusted to contemporary mujtahids for the continued benefit of users

Voices in the digital crowd: a discursive analysis of Airbnb boycott

ABSTRACT The ascent of online platforms has ushered in a democratization of information dissemination and has facilitated the formation of public opinion across various societal matters, including boycotts. By employing a qualitative analysis of narratives found within Reddit conversations related to the Airbnb boycott, this study explores the diverse dimensions of public sentiment and opinion formation within discussions about boycotting Airbnb on Reddit. The analysis has revealed a range of themes within these conversations. These themes include concerns about housing affordability, the commercialization of residential areas, negative effects on local businesses, issues related to discrimination, environmental considerations, gentrification, and criticisms of Airbnb’s business practices, service fees, safety measures, and regulatory matters. Overall, this research contributes to our theoretical understanding of digital activism in the realm of tourism, highlighting its implications for broader societal contexts. It also offers practical insights for businesses operating within the sharing economy, helping them engage with politically conscious consumers and address the ethical implications of their operations.

Investment Behavior and Strategy in Cryptocurrency in Indonesia

Investor behavior in making investment decisions is always based on clear reasons, whether for reasons of the future, profit, or hedging. This also provides a more precise portrait of investor behavior and the learning process if you want to enter the crypto asset industry. Apart from that, future suggestions for future researchers are expected to include female informants as a new perspective in researching investor behavior. The aim of carrying out this research is to find out what strategies can be implemented by cryptocurrency asset investors in order to get an optimal level of return. The method approach used in this research is qualitative library research. The data sources used as references in this research are data originating from articles, books, and newspapers from electronic media with the search keywords: how to invest in crypto, crypto investing techniques, and crypto investing strategies. The data obtained was then analyzed using NVivo 10 Plus software. From the results of this research, several strategies for investing in cryptocurrency assets were obtained, namely: determining the type and purpose of investment, studying the cryptocurrency assets you are interested in, choosing trusted cryptocurrency assets, choosing safe exchanges and wallets, paying attention to service fees and spreads, don't be afraid of missing out ( FOMO), buying when prices are low (support) and selling when prices are high (resistance), diversifying and mitigating risk, investing on various platforms, not easily panicking and oriented towards holding on for dear life (HODL), always following development information cryptocurrency, following and joining cryptocurrency communities, and regularly doing dollar-cost averaging (DCA).

Economic assessment of municipal solid waste management in midsized metropolitan areas of Brazil

This paper addresses the incipient number of studies regarding municipal solid waste management in Brazil, where the federal law requires the inclusion of waste pickers in waste management and proposes waste diversion targets far from being attained. Therefore, decision-makers can make the best choice economically among alternative technological roadmaps that meet the legal requirements. The proposed alternatives combine biowaste treatments (open composting, closed composting, anaerobic digestion), recycling and final disposal methods (landfill and incineration) for a metropolitan region with two million inhabitants. The results show that incineration can lower the costs for the citizens, and the cost increase is modest if anaerobic digestion is chosen if no profit is intended after 20 years (IRR=0%). However, higher profit (8% and 16% IRR) causes a significant increase in the service fees, which could encourage the use of composting facilities with lower environmental performance. Furthermore, the high waste diversions scenarios have lower service fees than the low diversions counterparts because of the increase in revenue from sales of recyclable materials and employing 5,697 instead of 2,138 pickers to work at sorting facilities, therefore highly recommended.

Women’s experiences of maternity care in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland: a cross-sectional study

Background: The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected maternal care services.Aim of the study: This study aimed to identify the level of changes in care experienced by pregnant women during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare responses between three major modes of maternity care financing (public, fee-for-service and private healthcare subscriptions). Material and methods: This cross-sectional study of 685 pregnant women in Poland used the author’s questionnaire, which included questions on demographic data, maternity care mode of financing, and different aspects of care.Results: The vast majority (n=608, 95.6%) of respondents experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most frequently reported modification was no possibility of a partner being present during prenatal consultations and medical examinations (n=558, 87.7%). Those who used a private healthcare subscription experienced more frequent medical appointment cancellations (p=0.000), a decrease in the number of consultations (p=0.000), reduced healthcare service duration (p=0.019). Over half of respondents used teleconsultations or e-consultations. The respondents who used a healthcare subscription had lower satisfaction with maternity care across all issues than women who used public and fee-for service care.Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic affected women’s maternity care experiences, with the financing mode differentiating their experiences. An increase in the use of telemedicine for maternity care during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic may provide a beneficial solution for future crises.